Why Classics?

The term 'Classics' refers to the study of the languages, literatures, material culture, and history of the ancient world - and their influence on later periods and cultures right up to the present day. It is one of the most varied and interdisciplinary subjects, encompassing literature, history, philosophy, art, and archaeology.

For generations a classical education was considered a privilege for the few, not the many. Today, its revival in state primary and secondary schools is well underway -and the evidence for its value is compelling.

Why does it matter?

The study of classical subjects has been shown to:

• Raise pupils' aspirations and achievement. Widening access to Classics helps break the link between educational opportunity and disadvantage, giving pupils the confidence to progress to higher education.

• Develop cultural literacy. Ideas, stories, and mythology from the ancient world continue to influence modern art, literature, theatre, and film. An awareness of these connections offers pupils a richer perspective on the world around them.

• Encourage cultural insight. Studying original texts and material culture gives students a window into the lives of people in the ancient world — and many of the issues they grappled with, around gender, race, class, and social mobility, speak directly to contemporary life.

• Support English literacy. The rigorous linguistic approach of Latin and Ancient Greek builds a strong foundation for literacy across the curriculum.

• Enrich vocabulary. Over 65% of English words have Greek or Latin roots. Understanding these roots helps pupils anchor spelling and meaning in a wider linguistic context — and make sense of words they've never encountered before.

• Complement modern language learning. Latin and Ancient Greek develop an awareness of grammatical structures and linguistic patterns that recur across many languages, building confidence and self-awareness in language learners and the evidence for its value is compelling.